Army makes strides in indigenisation of spare parts for its combat platforms

The Indian Army has made major strides in the indigenisation of spare parts and sub-assemblies of weapons and other equipment.

A large component of the Army’s inventory, including tanks, specialist vehicles and rockets, are of foreign origin. In the past, sourcing spares has been an issue, particularly due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, among other geopolitical shifts.

“#IndianArmy is accelerating its indigenisation drive in the #YearofTechAbsorption, achieving major breakthroughs in reducing dependencies on imports,” a post on the Army’s X handle said on Friday.

Over 1,050 spares and more than 60 major assemblies of critical foreign-origin weapon systems have already been indigenised, enabling upgrades and enhancing self-reliance.

Additionally, 1,035 assemblies and sub-assemblies as well as 3,517 spares for existing equipment have been successfully developed indigenously, marking a significant step towards self-reliance.

The Army is also advancing key technologies such as cryo-coolers for thermal imagers, flight controllers, Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) and electrical speed controllers for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and drones.

These efforts, driven through in-house innovation and close collaboration with industry partners, MSMEs and start-ups were strengthening operational readiness, the post said.

An Army Design Bureau has been established at Army Headquarters. It is involved in developing indigenous components in association with the industry. The Army has also been holding seminars and interactions with the industry to project its requirements.

All three services are actively involved in the indigenisation of spares and components for their platforms.